"-these men and women were taken from their homes, away from their families. They were stripped of their identity and forced to serve Ganon against their wills.
As such, in their honor, we shall bury them here, with the highest honors the kingdom can afford. We will find their families and allow them to be laid to rest in their hometowns.
We will support all decisions made by the relatives of the deceased, and we shall honor those who died for a cause they were forced to believe in.
Thank you."
The thunderous applause echoing throughout the crowded square still remained in her mind.
When morning came, the townspeople called for a speech with a frightened ferocity. The Princess honored their wishes and revealed to them the truth as to what occured inside the Castle during the ball.
That Ganon had brainwashed innocents into following him and that Hyrule itself would be going to war with his army to avenge the families of the desceased and prevent anymore civilian deaths.
The Yiga bodies, those who were identified, were given back to their families so they might be buried in their hometown. While those not identified would be buried in the Castle Town Graveyard, with royal honors.
Whether this imposed a positive light on the Princess, she didn't seem to know.
But judging from the applause, it most certainly had.
Now, she was walking through the Castle. Long having changed out of her Sheikah Garb and into a modest dress. She'd spent a bit in her study, working on gadgets to pass the time and relieve her stress. She watched as the Army went through a few last drills before they would move out at Noon.
Then she was called to the Sanctum. It appeared that the Noble class, the dukes and whatnot of outside kingdoms, had found her rule...lacking.
They had called for a king.
Her face was red with agitation, the weight of events already taking their toll on her phsyce, but that discussion was the breaking point.
Now that she thought ofi t, Link must've felt the same way all those years ago when he was weighed down by responsiblilty, yet he had dealt with grief enough then to block out his emotions.
While she had her traumas, she had never put emotion-blocking to a practice.
Perhaps she'd ask him for some pointers.
She went down the hallway that contained both their rooms, entering her own and changing into her Champion's Tunic. She then walked across the hall to Link's. The door was slightly open, but she knocked on the threshold anyway as a matter of courtesy.
"Come in." He called.
She did so, shutting the door behind her. Link was standing near his desk, his foot up on a chair as he tightened his boots and bracers, the blue gleam of his freshly-repaired Champion's tunic glinting from the sunlight coming in through the window. His hylian hood folded back behind his head.
To her surprise, Shade was there too. He was in his original, ghostly form, staring out the window and across the vast landscape of Hyrule. He turned in a quick reflex to face her, the leaves and ivy covering his armor rustling quietly.
"Princess." He nodded his head, his ghastly voice echoing, far different from the Fierce Deity's baritone.
"Shade." She returned the greeting with a bow. "May Link and I have a moment?"
The warrior nodded again, walking past her with the sounds of clanking and clicking of armor and bones. It was an odd sound to hear, but luckily it ended as soon as he shut the door behind him.
Zelda turned to Link, who had just finished adjusting his bracers and was running a hand down the blue fabric of the tunic. He began to strap the Master Sword and Hylian Shield to his back when he spoke, his haunted sapphire eyes narrowed in suspicion.
"Something wrong, Zel?" He inquired.
She felt the corner of her mouth twitch at his little nickname for her, he must be in a good mood.
Though, she probably was gonna ruin it...
"Link, do you think we should do this?" She said. "I mean...Is it really such a good course of action to take the fight to Ganon when we've only just got the Kingdom back on track, not to mention the army is still relatively new to this. I don't want to lose everything again-"
"Whoa, whoa!" Link waved his hands. "Calm down, Zelda. I wouldn't approve of this if I wasn't sure we could win. I trust Agahnim's judgement."
"And what of mine?" She crossed her arms.
"Yours too!" He nodded, rubbing the back of his head. "I...I just feel like we've been too enclosed around here. Too lived up. We need to get back out there, into the wilds and into the fight. Not living the high life in a castle."
He held his arms out for emphasis. "I mean that for both of us. You always seem so...pent up lately, it makes me worry for you."
His eyes suddenly narrowed. "Wait...Did something happen?"
Zelda blinked, swiftly looking away from him. "N-No..."
"Zelda." Link murmured, crossing his arms, mirroring her. "I've been your personal guard for a hundred and Three years. I know your tells like the back of my hand and I know that you're not flustered just from being around me..."
"What's that supposed to mean!?" She yelled, blushing furiously.
"You know very well what it means." Link said flatly, waving his hand. "You need to tell Impa to work on controlling or masking your emotions."
"Oh really? Why don't you give me some hints in that field, you always seemed to enjoy being a mute!"
She quickly covered her mouth, mortified as Link looked at her with a extremely hurt expression.
"I...didn't..." She quickly turned around and ran out the door, stammering apologies along the way. She ran across the hall, into her room, and slammed the door shut.
She slid down the door, bringing her knees to her chest and putting her face in her hands as tears streamed down her cheeks, muttering her apologies rapidly to herself.
Meanwhile, Link stood in the same spot, a calculating expression replacing his hurt one. His sapphire eyes narrowed to slits, he looked down at the back of his right hand.
His Triforce was pulsing, like a heartbeat.
His mouth thinned into a line, twisting to the side a bit in distaste, his hand dropping to his side. He sighed and shook his head.
"...It must've been worse." He muttered to himself. "I'll need to talk to her later, her mind is in no condition for anymore stress."
Securing the straps on his weapons, he exited his room and went down the hall, casting a sad glance to her door.
He'd been assigned by the king himself to protect her, yet he had always looked for physical threats and not physiological ones. He had let her become too stressed with the recent events, they'd both gotten too cozy in this Castle. That's what he tried to tell her, they were becoming soft...
As much as a blood knight and ninja princess could be.
His jaw set, he continued through the halls and into the dining hall. A bunch of soldiers and servants were eating at the moment, but since Breakfast was long over, there was no large crowd. Most were out receiving orders before they moved out later at noon.
Link moved discreetly through the room and into the kitchen, grabbing various ingredients off the counters and shelves. Quickly and with skill, he set a tea kettle over a fire and began cooking up some sweets.
With some twists and added flavors, he came out with a platter of fruitcake. He sliced it into pieces, putting one slice on a plate, then onto a platter, and put rest away for later.
Setting the plate to the side, he took the now boiling kettle off the fire, mixing it to make some herbal tea. He poured it into a cup, pouring some more into a small pitcher, and the rest into a large one.
He set the cup and small pitcher on a platter, setting the fruitcake slice there as well, along with a tiny cup of sugar cubes.
With that, he reached into his pack and took out a flower.
A Silent Princess.
Setting the delicate plant on the side of the platter, he called for a handmaiden to bring the small collection up to Zelda's room.
An apology and forgiveness, given in a special way.
His gift on the way, he turned to leave the Castle.
He needed to find Twilight.
Now.
Somehow, Twilight's tavern had such a calming atmosphere to it that he felt right at home, in a completely familiar era.
Agahnim blew out a breath through his hand, using his right arm to prop himself up on the counter as he swirled a glass of wine with his left hand.
"It's a bit early to be drinking." Twilight remarked, cleaning a glass behind the counter. He was in his Ordon clothes, ears slightly drooped with exhaustion.
"I still retain the certain elegance my past lives had." Agahnim replied, sipping the sweet liquid. "It helps me focus, keep me hyped."
"Try Ginger." Val said from down the bar. "It'll wake you up for sure."
"I'm fine, thank you." Agahnim waved his hand.
"Well, you're certainly less prone to insult people." Twilight noted. "I always remembered Ganondorf as being rather...bloodthirsty."
"Hmm..." The Gerudo hummed, eyes closed. "My counterpart is similar to them, but my past lives retained the formal air of a king. The one you met, whose memories that I possess are the strongest, was a king without a kingdom. Driven at first, not by power, but to avenge his fallen kingdom."
"Really?" Twilight frowned. "Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news. But his 'Kingdom' didn't get destroyed or anything, as evidenced by the Gerudo being around. They had left Hyrule to avoid prejudice, they had sailed across a great sea and to a inhospitable island that had deserts far as the eye could see."
"Hmm, sounds like paradise." Agahnim said wistfully.
"I was sent to find them and bring them home." Twilight shrugged. "But it took some doing to even get into their town."
"Heh, like your descendant I presume?" Agahnim chuckled.
"Oh, hell no!" Twilight laughed. "I wouldn't be caught dead in women's clothing. Besides, my features are sharper than his, I couldn't be mistaken for a women even if I tried."
The door opened and slammed shut.
"Would you two please shut up about that?" Link said, blushing slightly. "I didn't have a choice in that situation."
"Well, Wild. I thought you looked drop-dead gorgeous as a girl." Twilight teased. "Just scandalous!"
"Shut it, the number of people who mistake me for a girl without that get-up is stupid, I don't look That much like one." Link complained.
Twilight shrugged. "That we can agree on. I've been mistaken for a girl before, but only from a distance in my childhood. Never as an adult."
"Who knows, maybe some people think you two are the legendary 'Zelda' the legends describe." Agahnim laughed.
"Distasteful." Twilight shook his head, cleaning a mug. "Anyways, what's up Wild?"
"I just needed to talk about..." He frowned, sitting at the counter. "Well, everything."
"Everything, entailing what?" Twilight pressed.
"We need to get out of this town. The Castle, the everything around here." Link explained. "It's making us too comfy, too soft for my liking, it's best if we went back into the Wilds again."
"Returning to your roots, I assume?" Agahnim inquired.
"Yeah, I promised Zelda I'd take her camping after the ball. But then you-know-who showed up and we got ourselves a war on our hands now. It's stressing her out something fierce."
"Hmm, where is her majesty anyway?" Agahnim perked up and looked down the bar towards the door.
"She snapped a few minutes ago, called me a mute." Link sighed, rubbing his eyes. "She's locked herself in her room, probably thinking she broke me."
"How'd you deal with that?" Twilight asked, sounding concerned.
"Made her some fruitcake and hot tea, sent it up on a platter with a silent princess on the side."
"Romantic." Twilight smirked.
"Shut up." Link scratched his cheek. "I've only ever seen her crack that like when Calamity Ganon emerged."
"Well, then you may very well be right." Twilight frowned, setting the glass away and wringing out the rag. "It'd be best not to use the Sheikah Slate during our travels except for the purposes of the campaign. Just enjoy the journey between fortresses and keep yourselves calm."
"How in the world are these two so nonchalant about a war?" Agahnim thought, dumbfounded. "I'll never understand these heroes."
"Oh, and how have you no cracked under stress yet?" Link asked, eyes narrowed.
"I go out and hunt all the time." Twilight said simply. "Make a nice side buisness at the Hunter's guild, also feels nice to be in Wolf Form for a little bit."
"Keep mind to not become lost in that beast form." Shade appeared behind Twilight.
"GAAH!" Val and Twilight yelled in fright, while Link and Agahnim watched in disinterest, the latter sipping from his glass.
"Could you please not do that!" Twilight huffed. "I'd have cut your head off if I was armed."
"You have a knife in your belt, at least act like you'll use it." Shade said flatly, walking around the counter and standing off to the side.
"What're you doing here anyway?" Agahnim asked. "I know a bit about spirits, and they can only be around for so long before returning to the afterlife."
"Yes, the Death Fields call to me." Shade murmured. "But my power is great and a simple call will not drag me away any longer. Long have I denied Ganon the swift death I should've given unto him long ago."
Agahnim looked at the spirit with steady eyes.
"We both know that our battle went differently...in another time." He said coolly.
"...Indeed." Shade murmured, shifting slightly. "I wonder what became of Hyrule when I failed to defeat you? Or when I was sent back to my own time after my victory?"
"Time works in mysterious ways." Link murmured, remembering what Zelda had told him before. "I wonder if simple, everyday choices affect it, or critical decisions that affect many people?"
"Could be both." Twilight suggested, shrugging.
"I'd love to make a study of timelines." Agahnim admitted. "It'd be even better if I could somehow travel to other timelines as well."
"Ask Zelda." Link said. "She'd be really happy to attempt that kind of project."
"...You four are just so damned interesting." Val mused, eliciting laughter from them.
They talked for a few more moments, discussing their shared pasts and memories. The topics changed rapidly from Hyrule itself, to Zelda, to the Master Sword.
Shade especially held the blade in high regard, observing it nostalgically and treating it like an old friend.
Soon, hours passed.
And Noon arrived.
Leaving Val in charge, Twilight led the three to the southern road. Marching sounded through the air, the army moving through the town and to their destination to form.
The Townspeople watched them go from balconies and windows, cheering as they went past. It almost seemed like another Festival, even if it was far from that.
The Heroes gave friendly waves and smiles, albeit none were returned when Agahnim passed, many people seemed hostile towards the Gerudo, distrusting his intentions.
Zelda was there speaking with Tennessee, no worse for wear, and judging from the big smile she gave Link, she bore no ill will either.
The Champions, also present, had disagreed with staying behind in the Castle. They did not seek to stand idly by while their people and homes could be attacked. Reluctantly, the Princess agreed and allowed them to join in battle if they so wished.
The Castle would be tended to by an Ordonian Royal known as Valon, Twilight trusted him, which said a lot, and the man seemed very pleasant and just.
The Hyrule Army had been debriefed by the Lieutenant throughout the night and morning. Five-Thousand of their ranks would remain in Castle Town, along with a contingent of Guardians, those that had power anyway.
The rest of the army, totaling above Twenty-Five Thousand, would march to the Central Fortress and conquer it from the Bokoblins, either through force, diplomacy, or "Persuasion".
After the Central Fortress falls, they would reactivate the Tower and then proceed to divide. Each Division would go to a separate region of Hyrule, each led by one or two of the Heroes.
Link, Zelda, and Agahnim would proceed south and attack the Fortress on the Great Plateau, then continue on before splitting up again. With Link and Zelda heading north towards the Necluda region, and Agahnim heading across the Bridge of Hylia and into the Faron Region. Their goal was to secure Kakariko, Hateno, and Lurelin village.
Twilight and Shade would head North-East, marching in to take over the Lanayru, Eldin, and Akkala Fortresses. With each being consecutive, instead of gradual like Link, Zelda, and Agahnim's group. Their main goal was take back the Akkala Citadel, which while not reconstructed, still held a great strategic position in the area.
Tennessee would go it alone, heading up to the Hebra region, where there were only three towers. His goal was to take those as quickly as possible, then regroup with Twilight and Shade's army.
After all is said and done, the divided army would regroup at the Great Plateau Fortress to debrief and eventually move down into the Gerudo Desert, since the area was a Hot-Spot for Yiga, it was ruled too dangerous for a single division to take, the entire army was required.
With orders down, wagons packed, and horses armored up. The army began to march out of the town, with Link and Zelda leading them. Behind them was Agahnim and Tennessee, and walking in front of them was Twilight and Shade.
With the air abuzz with excitement and hearts full of fury, the Hyrule Army began it's campaign.
To end Ganon, once more.
Here you go, deep-fried and with a side of gravy, just the way you like it! :D
School's been a bit crazy, but nothing bad. Keeping up with it is biting into my time though, but at least I can still get these done.
Something I noticed while playing BOTW the other day, Link does NOT possess the Triforce of Courage. Zelda has the full thing. That's pretty interesting and puts a dent in my story, although I could just say that the Mark appeared during the Battle with Calamity Ganon, and neither of them knew the true significance of it and paid the mark little mind.
Valon = Talo, just so you know.
Impa did NOT teach Zelda to mask her emotions, she didn't want to alter her personality or anything extensive like that. Of course, the stress tends to hit you hard and makes you break anyway.
I just couldn't write this without having her break from everything, since nobody can go through all that in just a few days and come out unscathed. Even Link is affected by recent events, he's just better at hiding it. Of course, he knew how to fix it with Zelda. :)
There are about 15 Sheikah Towers, so I'm not gonna write that much, which is why I divided the army up. Some Fortresses will happen off-screen, but it'll still have impact on the story itself.
The Champions will play a good role in this as well, using the Divine Beasts to attack fortresses. So be ready for that!
Have a good day! :D